MAM
Salman Khan meets his past self in Pepsi’s latest TVC
Mumbai: In a bid to double the swag quotient, beverage brand Pepsi has unveiled its latest campaign featuring brand ambassador Salman Khan in a dual role. Bringing back the nostalgia of the 90’s, the TVC showcases the star coming face-to-face with ‘Prem,’ one of his popular characters from the decade. The TVC will be amplified via a robust 360-degree campaign spanning TV, digital, outdoor, and social media.
The ad film opens out on a bungalow that seems to belong to a 90’s Bollywood film set. The narrative hinges on modern-day Salman bumping into his younger version, Prem and the fun banter that ensues between the two Salmans. Thrilled to see his hunky future avatar, Prem engages Salman in a series of questions to know more about his future self.
The brand makes use of hi-tech Deepfake technology to recreate and bring to life the Bollywood character. Sharing his views on the campaign, the director of the ad film Ayappa KM said, “For the first time in Indian advertising, Pepsi has used hi-tech DeepFake technology to resurrect Salman from the 90’s. While it’s a throwback to the past, the tech is a peek into the possibilities of the future.”
“My fans have showered love to all my characters over my career, however Prem has held a special place in their hearts as well as mine,” said Salman Khan. “It brings me great joy to bring back Prem as a blast from the past with Pepsi for my fans for this new campaign.”
“As a culture-curator, Pepsi has constantly endeavored to bring entertaining campaigns for its consumers through innovative storytelling,” said PepsiCo India category lead- cola Saumya Rathor, on the launch. “With Bollywood being a key consumer passion point in India, this new campaign takes the Swag narrative several notches higher by featuring not one but two Salman Khans. For the first time in Indian advertising, we have leveraged hi-tech deep fake technology to recreate one of the most iconic characters of Indian cinema. We are confident that this campaign will resonate strongly with our consumers, given the entertainment quotient in this film.”
“We felt an instant rush when the brief landed on the table – to create a big summer campaign for one of the most legendary brands on the planet, featuring the biggest superstar in the country. Cliched as it may sound, we wanted to break category codes and push all the P’s of marketing to its absolute limit. It was a delight working with those who backed us to the hilt with this idea,” the film’s writer Devaiah Bopanna commented.
Brands
Hyundai and TVS Motor partner to develop electric three wheelers
Joint development pact targets last mile mobility with localisation push
MUMBAI: Three wheels, one big ambition and a charge towards the future. Hyundai Motor Company and TVS Motor Company have signed a joint development agreement to co-create electric three-wheelers (E3Ws), aiming to crack India’s complex last-mile mobility puzzle. The collaboration moves beyond concept talk into execution mode, building on the E3W prototype first showcased at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. The goal now is clear, design, develop and commercialise a purpose-built vehicle tailored to Indian roads, riders and realities.
Under the agreement, Hyundai will lead design and co-development, bringing its global R&D muscle and human-centric engineering approach to the table. TVS Motor, meanwhile, will anchor the product on its electric platform, leveraging deep three-wheeler expertise and local market insight. It will also handle manufacturing and sales in India, with an eye on exports down the line.
The timing is strategic. India remains the world’s largest three-wheeler market, where affordability, durability and adaptability often outweigh sheer innovation. The upcoming E3W aims to strike that balance combining advanced technology with practical features such as adaptive ground clearance for monsoon-hit roads, improved thermal management for tropical climates, and flexible interiors suited for passengers, cargo or emergency use.
A key pillar of the partnership is localisation. Major components will be sourced and manufactured within India, a move expected to strengthen the domestic supply chain, create jobs, lower costs and improve after-sales support.
The shift from prototype to production will involve rigorous testing, certification and refinement to meet regulatory standards and consumer expectations. Dedicated cross-functional teams from both companies are already in place to accelerate timelines.
At a broader level, the tie-up reflects a growing trend in mobility, global players partnering with local specialists to navigate emerging markets. For Hyundai and TVS, the bet is that combining scale with street-level insight could unlock a new chapter in sustainable urban transport, one that runs not just on electricity, but on relevance.
